Residents will have their first chance to speak out tomorrow night on Fayette County’s $51.4 million general fund budget. The budget does not call for a millage rate hike, but will not roll back the assessments this year because of tight financial constraints, said Finance Director Mary Holland.

The total of all the county’s funds is $86.8 million, which includes $12.2 million for special revenue funds, $152,203 in the solid waste fund, $13.4 million for the water fund, $833,294 for internal services fund and $8.7 million for capital and capital improvement funds.

In the capital fund, $2.4 million will be funded by expected 2008 revenues, with the remaining $6.3 million being funded out of reserves. Included capital projects in this year’s budget are:

• $3.6 million for an emergency operations headquarters at fire station No. 4.

• $247,660 for a telephone system upgrade.

• $105,600 for enhancements at Brooks Park.

• $861,200 for enhancements at Kenwood Park.

• $300,000 for upgrades at McCurry Park.

• $816,000 for Lake McIntosh permits.

The $51.4 million budget is an increase of $2 million over last year’s budget and includes replacing 18 vehicles and purchasing six new cars at a cost of $833,294.

Also included in the budget is 26 new positions, including 20 in public safety operations. Seven of the positions are firefighters, while one position is in animal control and the remaining 12 are sheriff’s department positions.

The total cost for the new positions is $1.3 million and includes a 3.3 percent cost of living adjustment for all employees.

The public hearing on the budget starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at the administrative complex at Stonewall Avenue.

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